Road-machine.



N. S. MONROE.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1914.

1,173,015. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

N. s. MONROE.

ROAD MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1914.

1,173,015. Patented Feb. 22, 1916. v

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- "rm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

NATHANIEL S. MONROE, F ARTHUR, ILLINOIS.

ROAD-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed May 14, 1914. Serial No. 838,491.

To all whom it may concern 7 Be it known that I, NATHANIEL S, MONROE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arthur, in the county of Douglas and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road-ldachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to road machines of the type for which Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,015,820, were issued to me on the 30th day of January, 1912, Reissue No. 13,708, dated March 31, 191 1.

The structure involved in machines of the class referred to comprises a wheel supported carrying frame, forwardly divergent scraper bars, and means for supporting said scraper bars from the frame consisting of cranes mounted at the forward end of the frame and supporting the forward ends of the scraper bars which are thus independently adjustable, and a drum shaft arranged longitudinally of the frame and with which the rear ends of the scraper bars are connected by a flexible connection so as to be vertically adjustable. The forward ends of the scraper bars are connected with the sides of the frame by links or spreader bars, and means is provided whereby the flexibly supported scraper bars may be moved or pulled in a forward direction to effect a spreading movement of the forward ends of said scraper bars.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve the supporting means for the rearward ends of the scraper bars especially with a view to facilitate the longitudinal movement of said scraper bars for the purpose of effecting a spreading or collapsing movement thereof. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting means which is'longitudinally movable, thereby avoiding undue tension such as is liable to be caused on the fleXible supporting means when connected directly with the drum shaft.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In thedrawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a road machine constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the scraper bars lowered. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the scraper bars raised from the ground. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4t is a detail side view showing a modified form of the supporting device. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of. the same, taken on the line 55 in Fig. 41. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the lower end of one of the supporting members showing the track bar in section. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the drum shaft showing the pawl and ratchet for preventing reverse rotation thereof.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The frame is supported on front and rear wheels 16, 17, and it carries at its forward end at each side a crane 18 connected by tackle 19 with the forward end of a scraper bar 20. Brackets 21, 22, one of which is mounted about midway between the ends of the frame, while the other extends obliquely in an upward and rearward direction from the rear end of the frame serve to support a drum shaft 23 having at its forward end a hand wheel 24:, said drum shaft being also equipped with a ratchet wheel 25 engaged by a pawl 26 whereby reverse rotation of said shaft is prevented. 27 is a track bar which in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 has been shown as consisting of a rod of circular cross section, although it is to be understood that the precise shape or structure of said bar may be indefinitely varied. Said track bar, under the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is connected with the drum shaft 23 by flexible connections 28 which, by rotating said shaft in one direction, may be wound thereon, thus lifting or elevating the track bar evenly at both ends. The track bar supports a wheel 29 mounted for rotation in a frame 30, which latter is connected by con necting members 31 with the scraper bars 20, either directly or through the medium of a cross piece or yoke 32, whereby the scraper bars are connected together near their rear ends. When the cross piece or yoke 32 is employed, as is usually and preferably the case, the scraper bars are to be pivotally connected therewith in order that their forward ends may be spread or collapsed, as may be required.

Under the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the drum shaft 23 is provided with spur wheels 33 with w iich rack bars 3&- are held in operative engagement by means of keepers 35 pivoted on the drum shaft, as best seen in Fig. 6. The lower ends of the rack bars support the track bar, which is here designated by 36, and which in Figs. 4-, 5 and 7 has been shown as being of inverted T-shaped cross section. In other respects the construction is as previously described.

A vertical drum shaft 37 is provided near the forward end of the frame, and on this shaft is wound a flexible element 38 having rearwardly extending branches 39 which are connected at 4:0 with the scraper bars near the rearward ends of the latter.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that while the cranes 1S afford means whereby the forward ends of the scraper bars may be independently lifted or adjusted vertically, the drum shaft 23 provides a means whereby the track bar carrying the rearward ends of the scraper bars may be likewise adjusted. When the scraper bars are in a raised position, rotation of the vertical drum shaft 37 will be effective to move the scraper bars in a forward direction, thereby spreading their forward ends apart. The cranes 18 will automatically adapt themselves to the forward movement of the scraper bars, and in like manner the wheel supporting the rear ends of the scraper bars will travel along the track bar in the direction taken by the scraper bars. The weight of the rearward ends of the scraper bars will thus always be supported in a direct vertical line below the wheel, and no lateral or oblique strain will occur.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a machine of the class described, a carrying frame, scraper bars swingingly supported adjacent to one end, a track bar, means for supporting and for effecting vertical adjustment of the track bar, and a carrier connected with the scraper bars and traveling on the track bar.

2. A wheel supported carrying frame, scraper bars swingingly supported adjacent to one end, a track bar, means including a drum shaft for supporting and effecting ver-, tical adjustment of the track bar, and a carrier connected with the scraper bars and traveling on the track bar.

3. A maclnne of the class described 1ncludlng a wheel supported carrying frame, a

pair of scraper bars, means for independ wheel supported carrying frame, a pair of.

scraper bars, means for independently and adjustably supporting the forward ends of the scraper bars, a track bar, means including a drum shaft for supporting and effecting vertical adjustment of the track bar, and means including a carrier traveling on the track bar for supporting the rearward ends of the scraper bars.

5. In a machineof the class described, a wheel supported carrying frame, a pair of scraper bars, means for independently and adjustably supporting the forward ends of the scraper bars, means including a vertically adjustable track bar, a carrier traveling thereon and connecting means between the carrier and the scraper bars for supporting the rearward ends of the scraper bars, links connecting the forward ends of the scraper bars with the carrying frame, and means for positively moving the supported scraper bars in a forward direction when raised from the ground.

6. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported carrying frame, a pair of scraper bars, means for independently and adjustably supporting the forward ends of the scraper bars, means including a vertically adjustable track bar, a carrier traveling thereon and connecting means between the carrier and the scraper bars for supporting the rearward ends of the scraper bars, links connecting the forward ends of the scraper bars with the carrying frame, and means including a drum shaft and a flexible element connecting said shaft with the scraper bars for positively moving the supported scraper bars in a forward direction when raised from the ground.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL S. MONROE. Nitnesses WM. BAGGER, BENNETT S. J ONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

